Where does iTunes save your backup: Find your saved data. iTunes backup: where is it stored and how to transfer it to another drive Where are the iTunes sync files located?
By default, music, TV shows, movies, podcasts, and other files that appear in iTunes library , are stored here:
user folder/Music/iTunes
You can change where iTunes media files are stored.
How to change the storage location of imported files
Select the iTunes menu >
Click Change and select a new location for the files.
From now on, new songs and other items you import will be stored in this new location. The songs you imported previously will remain in their original places.
To return to storing imported files in the iTunes folder, choose iTunes > Preferences, click Add-ons, then click Reset.
How to collect files in the iTunes folder
Depending on how the objects were imported In iTunes, some library items may be stored in other places (for example, in a different folder or on a different hard drive).
You can collect all the files in your library in an iTunes folder, for example, to make it easier to transfer your library to a new computer.
Choose File > Library > Organize Library.
Select Collect Files.
The files remain in their original location, and copies are placed in the iTunes folder.
To create folders (Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, etc.) inside the iTunes folder and organize the imported media into their appropriate folders, click Reorganize Files in iTunes Media Folder.
Adding files to your library without adding them to the iTunes folder
When you , iTunes places a copy of the file in the iTunes folder. Original file remains where it was stored.
You can change this setting to add files to your iTunes library without adding them to your iTunes folder. This may be necessary, for example, if you prefer to store video files on an external drive, but want to view them in iTunes.
Choose iTunes menu > Preferences and click Add-ons.
Uncheck "Copy to iTunes Media folder when adding to library."
The next time you drag a file into your Library or choose File > Add to Library, the item will appear in iTunes, but the file itself will not be copied or moved.
Tip: You can temporarily reverse this setting by holding down Option key while dragging files into the iTunes window.
Finding the Location of iTunes Files
Perform one of the following actions.
Finding the folder where the file is stored Select the item in iTunes and choose File > Properties. The file path appears at the bottom of the Browse tab (next to the Where item).
Show a file in Finder Select the item in iTunes and choose File > Show in Finder.
If a song no longer appears in iTunes
If a song previously appeared in iTunes but no longer appears, the file may iTunes Library moved from the iTunes folder or the song was moved from the iTunes folder. How to Show Songs in the iTunes Window Again
Locate the "iTunes" folder in Finder and drag the folder into the iTunes window. You will see the songs in your library again. If it includes an iTunes Library file, you'll also see playlists, song ratings, and other information you've created.
If this doesn't help, it's likely your songs are located somewhere else on your hard drive. In Finder, choose File > Find and search by song title or artist. Or search by keyword"MP4" to find files downloaded from iTunes Store, or use the keyword "MP3" to find files encoded in MP3 format. Drag songs (or folders of songs) into the iTunes window to add songs back to iTunes.
Important: For best results, do not move the iTunes folder or folders within it.
If you accidentally deleted some information from your iOS device and hope to recover it, then back up copy of iTunes can be a great help.
iTunes backup occurs automatically every time you connect your iPad or iPhone to iTunes (unless you enable the backup option iCloud copy), or manually when you right-click the device in iTunes and select "Back Up". They are saved on your computer and contain important data such as contacts, text messages, calendar, notes, call history and application data.
So where are iPhone or iPad backups stored? This depends on what operating system your computer is using, although the default backup location is the same between iOS versions.
Where is the iTunes backup folder on Windows?
iTunes backups are stored in %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync on Windows.
On Windows 10, 8, 7 or Vista, this will be a path such as \Users\\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup .
On Windows XP it will be similar to \Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup .
The Microsoft Store version of iTunes is slightly different: it stores its backups in %HOMEPATH%\Apple\MobileSync . This will be a path like \Users\\Apple\MobileSync\Backup .
Where is the iTunes backup folder in macOS/OS X?
iTunes backups are stored in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync on macOS.
This folder is usually located in /Users//Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup.
In macOS 10.15, Finder backs up your iPhone instead of iTunes. However, these backups are stored in the same location.
How to Automatically Find Your iTunes Backup Folder
iPhone Backup Extractor will automatically find the iTunes backup for you and can open it with one click. This functionality is available in free version, so it won't cost anything.
- Download and install iPhone Backup Extractor
- Open the Preferences window from the application drop-down menu
- Select the "Backups" tab.
- If the window says "We always look for backups in the default folder," click the "Default folder" link. Easily!
Opening the iTunes Backup Folder on Windows
Open the default backup location in File Explorer using the command " Starting Windows" Press ⊞ Win + R and the Run window will appear. Type %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync and press ⏎ Enter .
For the Microsoft Store version of iTunes, you can do this: Press ⊞ Win + R and the Run window will appear. Type %HOMEPATH%\Apple\MobileSync and press ⏎ Enter .
Here's what it looks like on Windows 10:
A folder named “Backup” will appear in the Explorer window that opens. This contains any iTunes backups that are already present on the computer.
Finding the iTunes Backup Folder on macOS
The default backup location can be displayed in Finder using Spotlight. Press ⌘ Cmd + and enter ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync before pressing ⏎ Enter .
A folder named “Backup” will appear in the Finder window that opens. This contains any iTunes backups that are already present on the computer.
Changing iTunes Backup Folder Location?
If you want to change the default folder that iTunes backs up to, we have a handy guide in our Help Center.
Backup on a PC has already been mentioned more than once, for example, in the previous article. Cause transferring an iPad backup to another drive, is that there is simply not enough space on the main hard drive and there is a need to transfer data to another HDD. Backup iOS devices eats quite a lot free space and naturally there is a desire to transfer copies. iCloud, designed for these purposes, is not held in high esteem by everyone. So, today I will talk about transferring an iPad backup to another drive (including external HDD) using the example of the operating systems Windows 7/Vista, Windows XP and Mac Os. This instruction suitable for transferring iPhone and iPod backups.
Instructions for transferring a backup copy for Mac OS
Let's say you have two hard drives in a laptop - SSD and HDD. Place the backup copy on SSD drive devoid of common sense. In this case, we set ourselves the task of transferring the backup copy to another disk.
1. Remove unnecessary backups. iTunes - Settings - Devices
2. Make sure backups are deleted. operating room Mac system OS has the following directory containing backups of iOS devices:
/Users/[Username]/Libraries/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Important Note: if you cannot find this directory through the built-in Finder tool, then install the free file manager MuCommander (or similar software).
View of the folder contents before deletion:
View of the folder contents after deletion:
As you can see in the example, there is 1 extra folder - this way you can get rid of old backups, which can be safely deleted, following the rule: 1 backup = 1 folder.
3. Create a new folder on your hard drive (HDD) called “ «.
4. Move the folder (or several folders corresponding to the number of backups) containing the backup to the folder on another disk (HDD).
Delete the folder " ", located on the SSD disk.
The directory looks like this:
/Volumes/SSD/Users/UserName/Library/Application\Support/MobileSync/Backup
Ln -s /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/UserName/Backup /Volumes/ SSD/Users/UserName/Library/Application\Support/MobileSync
What does this command mean:
ln -s- command to create a symbolic link
/Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/vitaliy/Backup - directory for storing backups.
/Volumes/SSD/Users/vitaliy/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync — the directory where the symbolic link is located, pointing to the folder on another disk (HDD).
As a result of executing the command in Terminal you will get the following: in the folder Mobile Sync a semblance of a shortcut will appear on the SSD disk, linking to a folder in the HDD.
Now run iTunes, then backup and as a result iPad backup will be saved on another drive.
Instructions for transferring a backup copy to Windows Vista and Windows 7
For operating systems Windows Vista and Windows 7, symbolic links are created using OS tools. The first two points are similar to the method for Mac OS described above.
1. Again identify unnecessary backups and delete them in the application settings iTunes and from Conductor on your hard drive. Backup storage directory in Windows 7:
\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\AppleComputer\MobileSync\Backup\
This directory is hidden because it belongs to system folders. You can use a file manager Total Commander by turning on the display of hidden and system files in the settings, or go to Control Panel - Folder Options and uncheck the "Hide" system files and folders."
2. Suppose you want transfer iPad backup on Local disk D. In this case, create a folder on this hard drive iTunes(the folder name and path are arbitrary) and transfer the entire folder With backup copies from drive C to the created folder iTunes on drive D.
3. Click Start and enter cmd in the search bar. Applications to launch the command line will appear on the top line - cmd. Launch it by right-clicking and select Run as administrator.
4. Now enter the command to create a symbolic link correctly:
What does this line mean:
mklink- command to create a symbolic link
/D- specify the directory for the symbolic link
New way- directory where backup copies are located on drive D.
Example of command execution:
Ready! It remains to make sure that the iPad backup is saved to drive D.
Instructions for transferring an iPad backup to Windows XP
These instructions apply to both Windows XP and other systems Windows family. Windows XP awarded additional way due to the lack of a command on this OS mklink, so we will use the utility junction. You can download it from this link.
Using the junction utility is similar to the method of transferring a backup copy of iOS devices to Windows 7.
1. Download the program and unzip it. Place it in any convenient folder on your PC hard drive. Let's assume at the root system disk: C:\Junction
2. Follow steps 1, 2, 3 of the above instructions for Windows 7 and Vista.
3. B command line cmd run the following command:
C:\Junction\junction.exe SymbolicLinkName NewPath
Using these methods you can transfer created iPhone, iPod and iPad backups to external hard disk if desired. If you accidentally deleted or renamed a symbolic link, then iTunes during the next process backup iOS devices will again create a folder for storing backups and continue saving the backup copy in its original location. Backups in the previously used directory will not be deleted. To return to your previous backup settings, remove the symbolic link and return the folder to its original place.
Oh, how often this question was asked in the comments. We will correct ourselves and respond. The main problem is that there is not enough space on the main hard drive and you need to transfer all the data to another drive. iOS device backups are just one of the space hogs we'd like to move. Yes, not everyone uses iCloud yet. :)
In the article I will talk separately about transferring a backup copy to another drive (including an external one) using the example of Windows 7/Vista, Windows XP and Mac Os.
Instructions for Mac OS
The fact is that I have two hard drives in my laptop - SSD and HDD. Having a backup on an SSD is certainly luxurious, but it doesn’t make much sense. Therefore, I decided to transfer the backup to another disk.
1. We delete unnecessary backups. iTunes -> Settings -> Devices
2. Make sure that the backups have been deleted. For Mac OS, the path to backups is as follows:
/Users/[username]/Libraries/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Important: If you don't see this path through Finder, then install free program: file manager MuCommander (or any other analogue).
Before removal:
After removal:
As you can see, I still have one extra folder - so there are very ancient and unnecessary backup copies that can also be deleted. There should be one folder per backup.
3. On HDD drive create a folder - call it Backup.
4. We transfer the folder (or folders, if there are several copies) with the backup copy to Backup on another disk.
4.1. Delete the Backup folder using the old path. In my case: /Volumes/SSD/Users/dmitry/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup
ln -s /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/dmitry/Backup /Volumes/SSD/Users/dmitry/Library/Application\Support/MobileSync
In fact, nothing complicated - I’ll explain the command:
ln -s– command to create a symbolic link.
/Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/dmitry/Backup – the path where you will now store backups. Note the backslash “\” before HD. I just escaped the space character in the path.
/Volumes/SSD/Users/dmitry/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync – the path where your symbolic link will be located, roughly speaking a shortcut to the Backup folder on another disk.
In general, after executing the command in the terminal, you will have something like the following picture. In the Mobile Sync folder on the old drive, something like a shortcut (using Windows terminology) will appear to a folder on the other drive. Let's look at the properties.
Launch iTunes. We start the backup. That's it - the backup copy is saved to another disk, which is exactly what we needed.
Instructions for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Everything here is not much more complicated than for Mac OS. For these two systems, symbolic links can be created using the system itself. If you have Vista or Seven, I recommend creating links exactly as I will describe.
In order not to repeat myself with screenshots, I will briefly describe the initial steps (for more details, read points 1 and 2 of the instructions for Mac OS just above).
1. Find out which backup copies we have and delete them in iTunes settings and in file system. The paths where the system stores them:
\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
These paths through a regular explorer may not be available - I recommend using a file manager (Total Commander or Far Manager). Required in settings file manager enable display of hidden and system files.
2. Let's say we want to transfer the iPad backup to drive D. Create an iTunes folder on drive D (choose the name and path yourself) and transfer the entire Backup folder with all our backups from drive C to this same iTunes folder.
3. Click Start and look for CMD in the search bar. In the results, right-click and launch CMD (command line) with administrator rights.
4. What remains is the most difficult and the simplest at the same time. Enter the command to create a symbolic link correctly:
Explanation:
/D– we indicate to the command that the symbolic link will lead to the directory
New way– A new path, in this case on drive D where iTunes will save backups.
An example of the command execution is shown in the screenshot:
That's all - we're testing. Let's try to save a backup copy. The copy is saved to drive D, which is what was required.
Instructions for Windows XP
This add-on is suitable for both Windows XP and others Windows systems. As you know, the mklink command is not available in Windows XP, so you can use the junction utility. Download it from this link.
Its meaning and use are completely similar to using the command .
1. Download this program. Let's unzip. We upload it to some folder on the disk. Let's say C:\Junction
2. Follow steps 1,2,3 instructions for Windows 7 and Vista.
3. On the command line, run the command:
c:\Junction\junction.exe SymbolicLinkName NewPath
For an explanation of this command, see paragraph 4 of the Instructions for Windows 7 and Vista above.
Mobile devices such as the iPhone are in great demand among the population. There are various applications and programs for working with gadgets. For example, iTunes is a very popular software. The application allows you to synchronize mobile device with a computer, as well as work with information on a tablet/phone. For example, creating backup copies of user data is becoming a common feature. You can find the corresponding document at any time and restore it to your iPhone/iPad. But not everyone understands where iTunes saves the backup. Where to look for it in this or that case?
For Windows
Much depends on what operating system we are talking about. The fact is that the majority of users work with Windows. Accordingly, iTunes saves backup copies in specially designated places. Where exactly?
Version operating system also plays an important role. For example, you can work with:
- Windows XP;
- Vista;
- Windows 7/8/8.1/10.
In all these versions, iTunes stores backup data in different areas. So what folders are they stored in? Where does the user need to log in in this or that case?
For Windows XP, the following is relevant: Documents and Settings/user Computer/MobileSync. You need to find a folder called BackUp. It contains all the backups made by the application.
You can also work in Windows Vista. This is far from the most common case. Where does iTunes save a backup copy of user data on Vista? You can find it at: Documents and Settings/username/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer/MobileSync. As in the previous case, you need to explore the "Backup" folder.
Newer versions of Windows are easier to work with. Just go to the section hard drive on which the OS is installed. Next go to: Users/name/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer. As before, you need to find the MobileSync folder, and in it - “Backup”.
If there is no folder
Sometimes it happens that the required document is not available in Windows. Then users wonder where the iTunes backup is. After all, the application works, it stores this or that information somewhere.
In fact, BackUp is simply hidden from the user's eyes. In order to correct the situation, you need:
- Select "Folder Options" - "View".
- Check the box next to "Display files and folders hidden from the user."
- Click "OK".
MacOS
Some users work with MacOS. This is far from the most common case, but it still occurs. Where does iTunes save the backup copy of information in such a case?
Finding the required file will not be difficult. Just follow the following address: Users/user/Library/Application Support. This is where the MobileSync folder will be.
Now every user will be able to discover one or another copy made by iTunes for iPhone or iPad. If necessary, you can delete it or copy it to removable media.
Determining the iPhone version
Please note that all backups made using iTunes are created for specific models devices. This means that on newer/older phones the file will not be recognized.
It's clear where iTunes saves the backup. How can you determine which smartphone/tablet it was made for?
The instructions by definition look like iPhone versions compatible with the data, something like this:
- Find the folder in which all copies from iTunes are stored.
- Open the required package of documents. There will definitely be an Info.Plist file in the folder.
- Run the document using any text editor. For example, Notepad is perfect.
- Find the line:
Product Name . - Now you should carefully study the information between the lines. This is where something like iPhone 5S will be written.
Ready! From now on, it is clear how to find it, as well as how you can understand which version of the iPhone this or that data was created on.
